Buffing or polishing composition



Patented Feb. 6, 1951 OFFICE BUFFING R POLISHING COMPOSITION Theodore F. Onkey, Easton, Conn.

No Drawing. Application January 23, 1947, Serial No. 723,891 r 4 Claims. (Cl. 51-301) This invention relates to compositions of matter including an abrasive material, in finely di- -videdform, such as grits of Carborundum,

Alundum, corundum, emery, pumice, and the like, carried by a vehicle or binder and employed for buffing or polishing various metals.

In. accordance with this invention, I provide a novel buffing and polishing composition of such nature and consistency that it can be applied to the work to be buffed or polished, for instance,

silverware, instead of to the revolving bufiing or polishing wheel as practiced heretofore, said composition avoiding all the disadvantages previously deemed unavoidable except by applying an abrasive preparation to the wheel in such a manner that none of said preparation was transferred to the work.

The prior art repeatedly stressed the necessity of keeping abrasive preparations on the buffing wheel during the bufiing operation so that it would not fall off the wheel and become deposited on the work. Consequently, abrasive compositions heretofore proposed, and those of the kind now in general use, have been made'of a consistency ranging from heavily creamy or stilily viscous or pasty nature, as obtained when using a sodium or potassium soap jell as the vehicle for a solid abrasive, to a solid of the consistency of cold'butter, in order to insure that when the composition is applied to the bufiing or polishing wheel, it will be retained thereby and none of the grit, vehicle or binder will be deposited on the work being buffed or polished.

The composition of this invention represents a complete departure from aforesaid prior practice. This invention is based on my discovery that an ideal buffing or polishing operation can be performed when the abrasive composition is compounded so that it can be applied to the cost, which will not deteriorate in storage, which will be easy and economicalto apply and use, and whichwill yield a lasting polished surface in use.

A further object is to provide an abrasive comditions of use.

position having the aforesaid advantages, which is of a non-greasy nature, and which will leave the work so clean that subsequent washing and drying operations, heretofore customary in commercial practice, can be dispensed with.

Still another object is to provide an abrasive composition, which will substantially eliminate spoilage and rejection of the metal or other material being polished or finished, by reason of staining or scratching.

My invention provides a novel and valuable abrasive composition, not only adapted for use according to the aforesaid novel technique, but also adapted to attain the objects above set forth, and to have such other advantages as are, hereinafter mentioned. a

The new composition is a liquid, rather than a paste or solid, but nevertheless has the advantages of a negligibly low rate of evaporation, and substantially constant consistency at varying atmospheric temperatures encountered under con- Thus, it is relatively resistant to freezing, and can be employed at any of the extreme temperatures encountered in summer or winter; without loss of effectiveness.

It is inexpensive, containing relatively few ingredients, which can be easily and cheaply compounded, and contains no starch or similar glutinous and fermentable substances. It is likewise free from waxes, oils and greases; from soaps and soap jells; and from, glycerine andother polyhydric alcohols. It requires no formaldehyde or other preservatives.

The composition of my invention comprises a liquid dispersion of a finely divided abrasive, in an aqueous vehicle containing a relatively small amount of glue and of a water-dispersible polyethylene'glycol mono-ester (particularly a diethylene glycol mono-ester) of a higher fatty acid (i. e. a fatty acid occurring as a glyceride in natural fats or oils), the preferred ester being diglycol stearate. The glue and the aforesaid polyethyleneglycol ester are employed inminute amounts, as compared with the water and abra-. sive, suflicient to maintain the abrasive in stable uniform dispersion, and to form a positioning matrix for the abrasive grits when the composition is applied as a coating to the work to be polished. The composition contains sufficient water, together with the other ingredients, to yielda mixture of highly liquid consistency resembling that of table cream, as ordinarily used in coffee. The composition includes no lubricants, such as grease, oil or wax, nor soaps or soap jells, nor glycerine, nor similar substances.

assasre The prior art has progressed to the realization that fatty and greasy vehicles or binders for abrasive grits are highly undesirable in that they act as lubricants for the grits, and prevent progressive disintegration of the composition during the bumng or polishing, as required to avoid scratching or cutting of the work. Glycerine andsoap jells, which have been proposed as i have a tendency to tarnish the work, or to leave components of a vehicleor binder for the abrasive grits, are themselves lubricative in nature and are subject to the same disadvantages as the fatty or greasy materials. Soap jells heretofore used when employed as the principal constituent of the vehicle or binder for the grit, moreover, have a tendency to dry out rapidly and have insufficient binding effect, so that they cause too rapid a disintegration of the buifing composition. Moreover, when used in suiiiciently small amounts to provide a highly liquid composition, as for example, upon dilution of compositions heretofore known with water, they permit the grits to separate out and become segregated in the mixture. The use of the aforesaid polyethyleneglycol monofatty acid esters, together with glue, avoids all of these difficulties.

The abrasive composition of this invention differs from the solid compositions, heretofore proposed, including glue as a binder, in that such prior compositions were suitable only for application to buffing or polishing wheels. Moreover, they were unsuitable for use during hot or humid weather in that they stick unevenly to the work and to the hands of the workman, and could only be used with artificial cooling in order to avoid spotting and scratching of the work.

The vehicle for the abrasive compositions of this invention maintains the grits in stable dispersion, has no injurious lubricating effect on the abrasive particles and is completely removed from the work by the buffing wheel so that the work is left in clean polished condition, requiring no subsequent washing or other cleansing prior spots which must be washed oi! after the buffing or polishing operation.

Diglycol stearate has been found to be particularly desirable as a dispersing agent in the vehicle. However, it can be replaced by other water-dispersible polyhydric alcohol (particularly polyethylene glycol) mono-esters of higher fatty acids; for example. polyethylene glycol monostearate, diglycol laurate, or diglycol oleate, in similar proportions, such materials also yielding non-greasy stable dispersions of the abrasive grits. Certain water-dispersible glycerin monoesters of higher fatty acids can be used in similar manner, e. g. glyceryl mono-stearate, lyoeryl mono-ricinoleate, or glyceryl mono-laurate.

Any suitable abrasive in finely divided form may be substituted for the Carborundum of the above example, Carborundum Grade A. No. 1 being preferably employed for fine polishing work.

The proportions in the foregoing example are susceptible to considerable variation as will be readily understood; I have found the proportions given above satisfactory for obtaining an abrasive preparation for general use on different metals as well as on other materials. Thus, the amount of polyhydric alcohol mono fatty acid ester is preferably from 2 to 3% of the aqueous vehicle, to yield a composition having the desired dispersion stability, liquid consistency and matrix-forming power. The amount of glue employed is preferably-not substantiallymore than sumcient to cause the composition to stick to the work when applied thereto by painting or spraying or by dippingjthe work into the composition.

- It is used in somewhat. smaller amount than the mono fatty acid ester; e. g. about half the to further treatment, such as the applicationof lacquers or the like.

The following example illustrates a preferred composition, in accordance with my invention.

Example Animal glue ,6 Water 5 gals. (42 /2 lbs.) Diglycol stearate 1 lb.

Carborundum 30 lbs.

The glue is soaked for about 24 hrs. in water, at room temperature; the diglycol stearate is added to the water-softened glue, and the mixture is heated to the boiling point, preferably in a steam jacketed vessel. When the resulting solution becomes homogeneous, it is allowed to cool, and theCarborundum grits are added with vigorous agitation or beating.

The composition of the foregoing example, and containing the aforesaid ingredients in the proportions indicated, has given highly satisfactory results, particularly in industrial use, for example, in buffing or polishing silver. Similarly, advantageous results were obtained on other metals or other surfaces.

High quality glue, as for example, Peter Coopers No. 276 Ground Glue, is preferably employed. Water soluble glutinous gums such as gum arabic can be used in place of animal glue, but are generally more expensive. Hence, animal glue is preferred. Cheaper glues, which contain relatively large amounts of impurities, are not to be recommended, in that the impurities often amount of the ester has been found especially suitable. The relatively small proportion of glue employed requires no preservative, such as formaldehyde, to prevent its deterioration.

Thus, the composition of this invention represents a radical departure from pervious compositions containing an abrasive with a glue binder. Such compositions were of the pasty type for application to the wheel, instead of to the work, and were intended to overcome the disadvantages of compositions containing greasy binders. In general, however, the glue binders thus employed permit undesirable waste of the abrasive material applied to the wheel, inthat portions thereof are thrown'ofl on the wheel and withdrawn by the blowers before the work to be buffed is brought in contact with the wheel. The unevenly deposited abrasive remaining on the wheel fails to provide a uniform abrasive action on the work to be polished, and yields an uneven finish. Moreover, in warm weather, the glue binders, containing the usual preservatives, render such compositions practically useless in that they stick to the hands of the workmen and form a smeary, rather than a clean .finished surface, thus defeating the object for which they are intended. Workers with such materials are generally required to wear gloves, which must be changed frequently, at considerable expense.

The preparation provided by this invention is liquid, but nevertheless maintains the abrasive grits in uniform stable dispersion at various temperatures prevailing during application of the 15 less than'any of the compositions on the market s known to me, and in use; it provides much greater economy and convenience than is possible with previously known materials.

In sharp contradistinction to previous practice for bufiing or polishing, the composition of this invention is applied to the work, and not to the friction or polishing wheel, for example, by painting or spraying the work with the composition,

or by dipping the work into the liquid. The consistency of 'the preparation is such that a uniform coating is produced over the surface to be bufled or polished.

By varying the liquidity, as by adding water, the thickness of the coating can be controlled to insure that all of the binder, vehicle and abrasive is removed in the particular bufilng or polishingoperatlon to be carried out, leaving the surface with any desired finish, suchas a dull luster, or a high polish, but in any case clean and requiring no further treatment.

Practically none of the binder or other vehicle components is transferred to the buffing wheel so as to accumulate thereon, and therefore, does not interfere with the uniform pol shing action on the surface to be polished, as in the case of compositions of the prior art, which render uniform finishing of the work extremely diflicult if thrown off the wheel and withdrawn in a nonuniform manner.

The vehicle employed in the compositions of this invention, forms a positioning matrix for the grits when the composition is applied as a coating to the work and disappears as the polishing proceeds. The bufling wheel remains clean and dry and the full polishing power of the composition is applied evenly over the entire coated portion of the work. The resulting polished or buffed surface is clean and dry, and can be easily lacquered, or subjected to any other operation without preliminary washing or cleansing. Variations and modifications can be made in the example without departing from the scope thereof, and it will be understood that the in-- vention includes all modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A liquid abrasive composition for metal adapted to be applied to a metal surface consisting of a. dispersion of abrasive grits in water containing two to three percent of a water-dispersible higher fatty acid mono-ester of an alcohol selected from the group consisting of the dihydric and trihydric alcohols, and glue amounting to about half the quantity of said higher fatty acid mono-ester.

2. A liquid abrasive composition for metal adapted to be applied to a metal surface to be removed therefrom by bufling means without substantial transference to the buffing means consisting of abrasive grits uniformly dispersed in an aqueous vehicle containing diglycol stearate as a suspending agent, a quantity of glue in an amount from about 0.5% to 1.5% of the weight of the water, and a suflicient amount of water to yield a highly liquid dispersion.

3. A liquid abrasive composition for metal adapted to be applied to a metal surface consisting of abrasive grits and a dispersing vehicle for said grits containing by weight, 80 parts water, 1 part glue, and 2 parts diglycol stearate.

4. A liquid abrasive composition for metal adapted to be applied to a metal surface consisting of parts by weight of abrasive grits in a dispersing vehicle, said vehicle containing, by weight, parts water, 1 part glue and 2 parts of diglycol stearate.

THEODOREF. ONKEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file 01 this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Chemicals by Glyco, Glycol Products (30.,

Inc., 26 Court Street, Brooklyn, New York, 1944, page 116; page 31.

The Chemical Formulary," by H. Bennett, vol. IV. P es 403, 412 and 413.

Certificate of Correction Patent Nb. 2,540,376 a February 6, 1951 THEODORE F. ONKEY- It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 6, line 47; list of references cited, after Aug. 24, 1943 insert the following:

FOREIGN PA TEN T/S Number Oozmtry Date 1.98807 Great Bmltaz'n June 14, 1923 and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of May, A. D. 1951. Y

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant O'ommissimr of Patents. 

1. A LIQUID ABRASIVE COMPOSITION FOR METAL ADAPTED TO BE APPLIED TO A METAL SURFACE CONSISTING OF A DISPERSION OF ABRASIVE GRITS IN WATER CONTAINING TWO TO THREE PERCENT OF A WATER-DISPERSIBLE HIGHER FATTY ACID MONO-ESTER OF AN ALCOHOL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE DIHYDRIC AND TRIHYDRIC ALCOHOLS, AND GLUE AMOUNTING TO ABOUT HALF THE QUANTITY OF SAID HIGHER FATTY ACID MONO-ESTER. 